Mops with extractor mechanism



2, 1963 P. s. VOSBIKIAN ETAL 3,

MOPS WITH EXTRACTOR MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1960 8 za n/ Am xx N .mww

A XNWN M nited States Patent 3,074,091 MOPS WITH EXTRACTOR MECHANISM Peter S. Vosbikian, Melrose, Pa. (20th and Oxford St, Philadelphia, Pa.), and Thomas S. Vosbikian, 20th and Oxford St., Philadelphia, Pa.

Filed Sept. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 54,269 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) The object of this invention is to devise a novel 'extractor member of the ring type having a gap to permit it to pass over the mop handle-into alignment with the mop head and to provide novel gap closing means which automatically closes the gap to form a closed circle or inner continuous Wall, it being understood that the extractor member is preferably but not necessarily'cylindric, which would depend on the shape and contour of the mop head and its strands.

The gap closing means may have many different forms which are opened by passage of such member over the mop handle, and which are designed to automatically close after the gap closing means passes beyond or below the handle.

The extractor member is movably connected with its control rod which is mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement on the mop handle, and provision is made to limit the upward movement of the extractor member during its rearward stroke.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our in vention comprehends a novel extractor member having a gap to permit it to pass over the mop handle, and having means to automatically close such gap after the passage of the extractor over the handle, said member being connected with means to effect its reciprocation relatively to the mop handle.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments of it which we have found in practice to give satisfactory results. It is however to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited, except by the scope of the appended claims, to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a mop with extractor mechanism, embodying our invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section showing the component parts in elevation with the extractor in difierent positions in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial section showing the manner of securing the mop head to the mop handle.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the extractor member and gap closing means.

FIGURE 5 is a partial section showing the handle moving the gap closing means in its open position.

FIGURE 6 is a partial section of another embodiment of the invention showing the gap closing member in the form of a flexible strip fixed at one end to the member.

FIGURE 7 is a partial section of another embodiment of the invention showing the gap closing member with its top portion extended to form a spring element contacting the inner wall of the extractor member to tension the gap closing member.

Similar numerals of reference indicate parts.

Referring to the drawings:

corresponding A mop handle 1 has its forward end formed by a.

rectangular bar 2 secured to the main body portion of the handle by a rivet 3 and a fastening device 4 the upper end of which forms a loop 5. The rivet 3 passes through a cap 6. The mop strands 7, which are preferably of the spaghetti type having an outer plastic strand and an 3,074,091 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 inner cotton strand, are folded upon themselves and secured in any desired manner in a cap 8 having an oifcenter slot 9 in its closed end. The bar 2 has near its forward end a slot 10 opening through its upper face. A member 11 which may have a cam portion 12 is slidable on' the bar 2 and has a chamber 13 to receive the cap 8 of the mop head. When the mop head is at an angle to the handle as shown in FIGURE 3, it will be apparent that the mop head can be removed or replaced, and when the mop head is in alignment with the handle and the member 11 is moved forwardly the mop head will be interlocked with the bar 2 of the handle.

The handle 1 has a longitudinal groove 14 into which a guide pin 15 extends, the guide pin being car'ried'by a sleeve 16 to which the rear end of a control rod 17 1's; pivoted. This rod passes through the loop or eye 5 which limits its outward movement relatively to the handle, and is pivotally secured to the bifurcated upper portion 19 of an extractor member 20 by a fastening device 18. The bottom of the control rod 17 at its forward end is flat so that the member 20 can only swing downwardly to a vertical position when the handle is held substantially horizontal, with the rod uppermost, while extracting. The extractor member 20 has an open gap 21 at its bottom, thus providing arms having a certain amount of spring when the member is passed over the mop strands.

The construction and arrangement of the component parts of the extracting mechanism is the same as that described and broadly claimed in a copending application, Serial Number 29,513, now Patent No. 3,040,355 issued June 26, 1962.

We have found in practice that when an open gap or slot is in the extractor member there is sometimes a tendency for strands to become tangled up in the member, and the wider the gap the more strands are liable to pass through the gap when the extractor compresses the strands during the extracting stroke. We have therefore in this invention devised novel means for automatically closing the gap after the extractor member passes over the mop handle.

In FIGURES l, 2, 4 and 5, the gap closure is in the form of a U-shaped strip 22 loosely pivoted at 23 to one arm of the extractor member near one side of the gap and extending over the gap to rest on the other arm of the extractor member. When the extractor member is moved downwardly over the bar of the handle, the strip 22 swings upwardly and then automatically moves downwardly due to gravity and its own weight to close the P- In FIGURE 6, the operation is the same but the closure 24 is in the form of a rubber, plastic or resilient strip having one end fixed to an arm of the extractor member by a fastening device 28.

In FIGURE 7, the operation is the same, but the gap closure 25 pivoted at 26 to an arm of the extractor member has an extension 27 located beyond the pivot and acting as a spring to move the gap closure into closed position.

The extractor member can be manually actuated by pushing it over the handle and then over the strands, but it is more convenient to secure the member to reciprocating mechanism mounted on the mop handle.

The extractor member can be pivoted to the control rod or fixed thereto at a right angle, in which latter case the loop 5 would be at a greater distance from the handle to permit the member to pass above the strands on its rearward movement.

The cam 12 aids in moving the extractor member towards the mop handle, but can be omitted if desired.

When the handle 16 is moved rearwardly the extractor member will be in position to contact the cam 12. When the'ring moves'the gap closurein'w'ardly; thus permitting the extractor ring tobe in longitudinal alignment with the'mop head. Afterthe handle passes through the slot and then upwardly beyond the" gap closure,the gap closure automatically moves downwardly so that the gap closure during the extracting stroke forms with the inner wall of the ringa continuous wall and thus prevents mop strands from passing through the slot'in the extractor ring."

Having thus'described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:

l; A mop, comprising a mop head, a mop handle connected'with the mop head, an extractor in thecform of a split .ring providing a gap therethrou'gh topermit the ring ,r to pass over the handle into" alignment with the mop" 4 a head, 'an'extractor rod to which the ring is pivotally connected, a sleeve slidable on the mop handle and pivotally conneetedwiththe rod at a point spaced from the ring connection for moving the extractor longitudinally, a guide on the mop handle through which said rod passes, a cam on the handle in rearof the mop head, a gap closure moveably mounted'on the ring at one side of the gap and in closed position extending across and closing the gap, said cam on the mop handle being in the path of the ring during the extracting stroke-t0 move the gap closure into open position and cause the ring to pass over the mop handle into longitudinal alignment with the mop head.

2. The construction as defined in claim 1 wherein the gap closure is U-shape'd;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,384;555 Cunningham July l2, 1921 2,820,232 Vosbikian Jan. 21, 1958 2,887,704 Vosbikian et a]. May 26, 1959' 

1. A MOP, COMPRISING A MOP HEAD, A MOP HANDLE CONNECTED WITH THE MOP HEAD, AN EXTRACTOR IN THE FORM OF A SPLIT RIGN PROVIDING A GAP THERETHROUGH TO PERMIT THE RING TO PASS OVER THE HANDLE INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE MOP HEAD, AN EXTRACTOR ROD TO WHICH THE RING IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED, A SLEEVE SLIDABLE ON THE MOP HANDLE AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH THE ROD AT A POINT SPACED FROM THE RING CONNECTION FOR MOVING THE EXTRACTOR LONGITUDINALLY, A GUIDE ON THE MOP HANDLE THROUGH WHICH SAID ROD PASSES, A CAM ON THE HANDLE IN REAR OF THE MOP HEAD, A GAP CLOSURE MOVEABLY MOUNTED ON THE RING AT ONE SIDE OF THE GAP AND IN CLOSED POSITION EXTENDING ACROSS AND CLOSING THE GAP, SAID CAM ON THE MOP HANDLE BEING IN THE PATH OF THE RING DURING THE EXTRACTING STROKE TO MOVE THE GAP CLOSURE INTO OPEN POSITION AND CAUSE THE RING TO PASS OVER THE MOP HANDLE INTO LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE MOP HEAD. 